HYDERABAD: The pre-release event of Brahmastra movie scheduled for Friday at Ramoji Film City, for which Tollywood actor Jr NTR was invited as the chief guest, was cancelled after police denied permission.
According to Abdullapurmet police, Rachakonda Commissioner of Police Mahesh Bhagwat refused permission for the event as a large police force from city and districts is currently deployed for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.
About 600 police personnel have come down to the city for security for the nine-day festival. At least 200 policemen are needed to provide security at film events where prominent actors participate. At such a time when the police department has stretched its resources to keep peace, it found no means to provide security at the event.
Keeping this in view, Rachakonda police refused permission for the Brahmastra event, said sources. Brahmastra, a pan-India movie produced by Karan Johar and directed by Ayan Mukerji, has a rich star cast, including Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Akkineni Nagarjuna among others. It may be recalled that Jr NTR recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Hyderabad on August, giving rise to speculation that the BJP might rope in the actor for its election campaigns in Telangana.
Shah was effusive in his praise for the actor calling him the “gem of Telugu cinema”. Police, however, cited shortage of forces and last-minute application for permission as the reason for denying a nod to the event. The pre-release events of Radhe Shyam and Saaho are said to have upset the police as they were organised in violation of certain guidelines.